Joining system for furniture

Abstract

A joining system for furniture is provided. The joining system comprises a first furniture element and a joining element. The joining element has a width between a first and a second surface in the area of the second engaging portion. An increase in the width causes a first engaging portion to press harder on a first stabilizing portion which causes a male coupling portion to bend in a direction towards the surface comprising the second stabilizing portion to compensate for the increased width.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A joining system for furniture, the joining system comprising:
 a first furniture element, 
 a second furniture element and 
 a joining element having a first surface and a second surface on substantially opposite sides of the joining element, wherein the first furniture element is connected to the second furniture element for forming a furniture portion and wherein:
 the first furniture element comprises a female coupling recess for receiving the joining element, 
 the second furniture element comprises a connection portion for connecting the second furniture element to the joining element, and 
 the joining element comprises a male coupling portion for connecting the joining element to the female coupling recess and a connection portion for connecting the joining element to the second furniture element, wherein: 
 
 
       the female coupling recess comprises:
 a first stabilizing portion, 
 a second stabilizing portion, and 
 a protrusion protruding from a surface comprising the second stabilizing portion, and wherein the male coupling portion comprises: 
 a first engaging portion formed in the first surface and configured to engage the first stabilizing portion of the female coupling recess, 
 a second engaging portion formed in the second surface and configured to engage the second stabilizing portion of the female coupling recess, and 
 a recess formed in the second surface and configured to receive the protrusion of the female coupling recess, wherein the second engaging portion is positioned further from an end portion of the male coupling portion than the recess, and wherein 
 the joining element has a width between the first and second surfaces in an area of the second engaging portion, and wherein an increase in the width causes the first engaging portion to press harder on the first stabilizing portion, when the male coupling portion is inserted into the female coupling recess, which causes the male coupling portion to bend in a direction away from the first stabilizing portion to compensate for the increased width. 
 
     
     
       2. The joining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the female coupling recess comprises a slanted entry surface formed on a side of the female coupling recess comprising the first stabilizing portion. 
     
     
       3. The joining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the male coupling portion comprises a chamfered portion formed in the second surface of the male coupling portion, and wherein the chamfered portion is chamfered to compensate for the bend of the male coupling portion. 
     
     
       4. The joining system according to  claim 3 , further comprising a gap between the chamfered portion of the male coupling portion and a lower recess surface being a portion of the surface comprising the protrusion and the second stabilizing portion of the female coupling recess. 
     
     
       5. A method of manufacturing the joining element according to  claim 3  comprising the steps of:
 placing a piece of furniture material on a milling table with a first surface of the furniture material facing the milling table, 
 chamfering a first edge of the first surface of the furniture material, while the first surface of the furniture material is facing the milling table, 
 chamfering a second edge on a second surface of the furniture material, such that a double chamfered edge is created, and 
 milling a groove adjacent to the second edge, the groove extending in the direction of a length axis of the double chamfered edge. 
 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the step of chamfering the second edge and milling the groove is performed in a single operation. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 5 , in which the step of chamfering the first edge of the first surface of the furniture material is performed with a milling tool having a rotational axis which is perpendicular to the first surface of the joining element. 
     
     
       8. The method according to  claim 5 , in which the step of chamfering the second edge of the second surface of the furniture material and/or milling the groove in the second surface of the furniture material is performed with a milling tool having a rotational axis which is parallel to the first surface of the joining element. 
     
     
       9. The method according to  claim 5 , in which the step of milling the groove in the second surface of the furniture material is performed with a milling tool having an engaging portion having a first angle, and wherein the engaging portion extends over a portion of the milling tool such that the engaging portion can engage furniture material of varying width with the same first angle. 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 5 , in which the step of milling the groove in the second surface of the furniture material is performed with a milling tool having a most distal engaging portion having a first angle, and wherein the position of the most distal engaging portion varies with the width of the furniture material while the first angle at the most distal engaging portion remains constant. 
     
     
       11. The joining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the end portion of the male coupling portion is configured to be placed furthermost into the female coupling recess, wherein a width of the joining element in an area of the end portion is smaller than the width of the joining element in the area of the second engaging portion. 
     
     
       12. The joining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion of the second furniture element comprises a recess configured for receiving a portion of the joining element. 
     
     
       13. The joining system according to  claim 12 , wherein the recess is a groove configured to receive a portion of one side of the joining element. 
     
     
       14. The joining system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a gap between a bottom recess surface of the female coupling recess and the end portion of the male coupling portion. 
     
     
       15. The joining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first engaging portion is chamfered. 
     
     
       16. The joining system according to  claim 1 , wherein the connection portion of the second furniture element comprises a second female coupling recess comprising:
 a first stabilizing portion, 
 a second stabilizing portion, and 
 a protrusion protruding from a surface comprising the second stabilizing portion, 
 and wherein joining element further comprises a second male coupling portion comprising: 
 a first engaging portion formed in the first surface and configured to engage the first stabilizing portion of the second female coupling recess, 
 a second engaging portion formed in the second surface and configured to engage the second stabilizing portion of the second female coupling recess, and 
 a recess formed in the second surface and configured to receive the protrusion of the second female coupling recess. 
 
     
     
       17. A furniture portion comprising the joining system according to  claim 1 .